As somebody who’s been within the website positioning sport for some time, I’ve used Semrush closely for years. It was my go-to software for key phrase analysis and competitor evaluation. Nevertheless, I relied on Ahrefs for off-page website positioning since I discovered its backlink analysis fairly correct and simple to soak up.
Equally, I’ve trusted Clearscope and have used the software for content material optimization for nearly 4 to 5 years. I additionally use varied different website positioning instruments for such particular use circumstances.
Be it the pricing or function set of Semrush that made you search for another, we have now the set of instruments that may deal with your wants. On this article, I’ve examined and coated six instruments that carry one thing distinctive to the desk. I’ll describe my expertise with every software, what I favored (and didn’t), and why you would possibly wish to make the swap.
Finest 6 Semrush alternate options for 2025
- Ahrefs is one of the best for off-page website positioning. ($129/month)
- Clearscope is the greatest for optimizing content material for search engines like google. ($189/month)
- Moz Professional is one of the best for all-purpose website positioning. ($49/month)
- Seobility is one of the best amongst inexpensive, all-in-one website positioning software program. ($50/month)
- SE Rating is one of the best for website positioning reporting and analytics. ($52/month)
- Similarweb is one of the best for evaluating broader website positioning traits in the marketplace. ($199/month)
*The merchandise are listed alphabetically and embrace website positioning instruments listed on G2. A few of them supply a free trial. I’ve included the beginning value of their paid plan for simple comparability.
What makes one of the best Semrush alternate options?
Semrush is an website positioning software with varied options, together with key phrase analysis, website positioning audit, backlink evaluation, and value-added performance. A substitute for Semrush would have all or a few of these options. They might successfully serve totally different market segments and cater to particular use circumstances.
Primarily based on my analysis, an excellent Semrush various would:
- Provide key phrase analysis. Counsel key phrases to incorporate to stay aggressive on the search engine outcomes (SERP) web page. Carry out competitor evaluation to showcase gaps in key phrase protection.
- Cater to a particular space beneath website positioning, if not all. A very good Semrush various will cater to 1 or all focus areas, together with on-page, off-page, or technical website positioning.
- Ship insights to hold out evaluation. The platform delivers insights that customers can use to make focusing on and optimization choices.
High 6 Semrush alternate options I discover helpful
Beneath are the main Semrush alternate options I discovered in the marketplace, which supply aggressive — or, in some circumstances, higher worth than Semrush.
This checklist relies on G2 opinions from 2025. We’ll preserve updating it to replicate the most recent and greatest alternate options. Some opinions might have been edited for readability.
1. Ahrefs: Finest for off-page website positioning
I’ve used Semrush and Ahrefs for a very long time. They appear much like me for the website positioning work we did. Nevertheless, I discovered Ahrefs to help off-page website positioning higher. For on-page parts, Ahrefs and Semrush do an analogous job.
Nevertheless, from a usability standpoint, I’d go together with Semrush due to the Ahrefs credit score system. It looks like I’m working out of credit and must preserve that thought in thoughts, which doesn’t give me such an incredible expertise. With out the credit score system, I’d choose Ahrefs.
Though the Ahrefs Lite plan begins from $129 a month, the corporate presents a Starter plan that prices $29 a month. It’s appropriate for professionals who don’t have heavy website positioning wants however want some extent of reference to tell their technique and execution.
Supply: Ahrefs
To checklist Ahrefs in its place, I in contrast the backlink analysis, key phrase knowledge, website audits, and varied different functionalities of the 2 software program packages. In my analysis, I discovered that Ahrefs does a greater job at backlink analysis than Semrush. Nevertheless, Semrush’s key phrase knowledge, with its general UI, appears higher and far simpler to know and use.
Supply: Ahrefs
For website audits, each Semrush and Ahrefs did a reasonably respectable job monitoring technical website positioning points, discovering lacking H1s, and recognizing 404 errors.
In case you are okay with the credit score system, Ahrefs appears to be dependable website positioning software program and a good Semrush various.
What I like about Ahrefs:
- Ahrefs’ means to point out the backlink profile is unparalleled. It provides you a complete checklist of referring domains and precise backlinks pointing to your webpage.
- Ahrefs additionally does an excellent job with its key phrase analysis. It exhibits key phrase teams, which helps me estimate a ballpark of the entire search quantity, making it simpler to calculate the return on funding (ROI) whereas focusing on.
What G2 customers like about Ahrefs:
“I’m utilizing Ahrefs to do website positioning analysis. The first software I exploit is their Rank Monitoring software. I prefer it greatest as a result of they arguably have the biggest crawler community outdoors search engines like google.”
– Ahrefs Overview, Cassian Y, Founder
What I dislike about Ahrefs:
The estimated visitors knowledge for a web page that Ahrefs calculates primarily based on rankings, search quantity, and different components can generally be inaccurate.
What G2 customers dislike about Ahrefs:
“Dear in contrast with different instruments on the market. It isn’t good for small-sized companies and initiatives due to the price.”
– Ahrefs Overview, Ellen C, Advertising Affiliate
2.Clearscope: Finest for optimizing content material for search engines like google
Clearscope is a content-first website positioning platform that allows you to optimize content material for higher search engine rankings. I exploit Clearscope usually in my writing initiatives. It provides me a complete set of key phrases that enhance on-page website positioning for my blogs and touchdown pages.
Clearscope compares the pages’ rating for a selected key phrase on the SERP. Primarily based on this evaluation and the evaluation of the broader SE traits from the key phrases, it suggests phrases to incorporate in a content material piece.
Supply: Clearscope
It comes with a grade evaluation. You get a greater grade or the best A++ once you efficiently embrace Clearscope’s key phrase suggestions in your content material. It estimates the readability of your content material and allows you to optimize it to match the competitors on the SERP.
What I like about Clearscope:
- It helps me implement website positioning in my content material items with out going backwards and forwards between an article and an website positioning platform.
- It’s easy to make use of and doesn’t require a author to undergo a steep studying curve.
What G2 customers like about Clearscope:
“I really like how Clearscope automates many facets of writing good website positioning content material. It additionally brings some gamification into the sport — I really like writing and making an attempt to get as excessive a grade as potential whereas nonetheless retaining good readability and high quality within the content material itself.”
– Clearscope Overview, Melisa A N, Guide
What I dislike about Clearscope:
A few of its ideas for key phrases appear irrelevant. That is when rivals have coated the identical of their content material. Their content material won’t be one of the best to take inspiration from or do one thing comparable.
What G2 customers dislike about Clearscope:
“Not a lot. The one shortfall I seen is that the house to ‘create report’, crucial space in CL, appears like a search bar. So, if I wished to seek for older stories, I would have unintentionally typed it out into this tab and would have misplaced a credit score. It is only a UX factor, and when you get used to utilizing CL, it’s going to be okay. I hope it quickly brings in an excellent plagiarism function.”
– Clearscope Overview, Ashitha J, Content material Advertising Supervisor
3. Moz Professional: Finest for all-purpose website positioning
Moz Professional is power-packed with complete website positioning options and functionalities. It was the primary software program I actively used whereas studying about website positioning and content material advertising and marketing.
It permits you to observe your web site’s well being and presents hyperlink constructing and key phrase ideas for website positioning wins. Most significantly, it has tons of studying content material for website positioning and inbound advertising and marketing. It provides website warnings when it detects points in your webpages.
The software takes a bit of effort however produces correct outcomes when figuring out irrelevant and spammy backlinks. You should utilize this knowledge to disavow spammy hyperlinks pointing to your web site. It’s very easy to make use of and useful, because it delivers the steering you should optimize your web site for search engines like google.
What I like about Moz Professional:
- I like Moz’s key phrase location choice. It helps me perceive the place we dominate the SERP and the place we will enhance.
- On-page suggestions assist enhance rankings for native searches.
What G2 customers like about Moz Professional:
“Moz is simple to make use of for a novice to the website positioning world. It steps you thru the fundamentals and supplies useful instruments and capabilities as you get extra accustomed to the complete suite. I respect the useful hints on optimizing my websites and having the ability to run checks on key phrases, and many others.”
– Moz Professional Overview, Bar W, Senior Director
What I dislike about Moz Professional:
I can solely take a look at three rivals inside a marketing campaign, and I can’t add extra for an in depth comparability.
What G2 customers dislike about Moz Professional:
“Each software program has some drawbacks. The one minor dislike is that generally, when selecting a reporting interval, it appears to be a bit of glitchy, and takes a minute to get the reporting durations appropriate. Not an enormous deal, however annoying.”
– Moz Professional Overview, Brian H, Vice President of Advertising
4. Seobility: An all-in-one website positioning software program at an inexpensive price
Seobility is an entire bundle of web site crawler, rank tracker, backlink monitor, and competitor evaluation in a single platform. The very best half is that it presents a free plan for brand spanking new customers, and paid plans arguably supply extra worth than different website positioning instruments.
Though I discovered its means to research technical points superb, the software has a smaller key phrase database than giants like Semrush. It’s a good website positioning software for these searching for an inexpensive, all-in-one answer. I like that every function is neatly organized into separate tabs, making it simpler to navigate by the software.
It comes with a rank monitoring system that lets you rank a number of web sites collectively and examine those performing one of the best.
What I like about Seobility:
- I just like the website positioning audit software’s element. It delivered clear insights into optimizing my internet pages.
- The key phrase rating function makes it simpler to watch the present rating for my goal key phrase checklist.
What G2 customers like about Seobility:
“I really like the element it goes into on every space of website positioning: Tech, Meta, Construction, and web site content material. Each web page is damaged down throughout a crawl, supplying you with an in depth report of every space that wants fixing and tips on how to repair it. It is simple to make use of. Crawls are quick, and their options help you examine website positioning with different native companies.”
– Seobility Overview, Claire F, Skilled Photographer
What I dislike about Seobility:
I felt it was tough to implement the technical website positioning suggestions. It could be nice to have precedence in optimizing various things.
What G2 customers dislike about Seobility:
“Whereas Seobility is a strong website positioning software, the free model has some limitations, such because the variety of key phrase checks and crawl pages per day. Moreover, the backlink evaluation may very well be extra in depth than different website positioning instruments. Nevertheless, its value and ease of use nonetheless supply nice worth.”
– Seobility Overview, Marius B, Administrator
5. SE Rating: Finest for website positioning reporting and analytics
SE Rating arguably provides extra worth for simply $52 in comparison with paying extensively for utilizing the opposite instruments. The SERP rating checker permits you to observe 250 key phrases on the bottom plan. They provide a Key phrase Supervisor function that lets you handle as much as 10,000 key phrases on an inventory. Should you improve to a Professional plan, you get the performance to obtain round 50,000 key phrases in a single report at simply $95.20/month.
To do that on Semrush, I have to be on a plan that prices between $200 and $300. With SE Rating, you get worth for the worth you’re paying. You may tag key phrases, examine content material scores, and combine them with Google Analytics and the Search Console.
Supply: SE Rating
I personally favored the best way I used to be in a position to determine rivals and conduct key phrase hole evaluation whereas assessing key phrase problem, cost-per-click knowledge, and key phrase traits obtainable. SE Rating additionally has Area Belief and Web page Belief scores, much like Area Ranking in Ahrefs.
What I like about SE Rating:
- I favored the backlink monitoring and backlink hole evaluation function of the software. It generated a complete report.
- Utilizing the Website Audit function, I received an in depth website evaluation with points and optimization alternatives.
What G2 customers like about SE Rating:
“I discover SE Rating very simple to make use of, as it is simple to navigate totally different services and products. It feels very intuitive, and even when I’ve any questions or issues, I can discover solutions in a database or contact the help staff to get my solutions. In my present place, I exploit SE Rating each day and could not be happier.
When my firm transitioned from the earlier service we used, the SE Rating staff helped us migrate all the information we collected, so the combination went easily. Due to the brand new SMM service, we have been in a position to cancel one other service subscription and have all of the work finished on social media channels from SE Rating.
I extremely advocate SE Rating for web site and website positioning specialists or businesses and different professionals who wish to preserve observe of their knowledge in a single place.”
– SE Rating Overview, Viktoriia D, Mission Supervisor
What I dislike about SE Rating:
The educational curve is steep. When making an attempt to click on some hyperlinks, prompts to improve the software seem. If the UI showcased what I had entry to, it could have been a significantly better expertise.
What G2 customers dislike about SE Rating:
“The interface is a bit complicated initially as a result of we have to change our habits when switching instruments.”
– SE Rating Overview, Remi B, Head of Digital Technique and AI
6. Similarweb: Finest for evaluating broader website positioning traits in the marketplace
Similarweb is a good software for performing aggressive website positioning analysis. It begins at $125/month. I examined the software and received an outline of detailed visitors insights, together with web site visits, visitors sources, and viewers demographics. It’s simple to match our web site visitors with that of our rivals. This evaluation showcases the strengths and weaknesses of our digital technique.
I really like how Similarweb exhibits traits within the broader market. The insights helped me perceive the patron and the goal market intimately whereas utilizing the benchmarks.
Supply: Similarweb
I might see what different individuals had been looking for in actual time to optimize content material primarily based on present traits. It was simple to know how rivals’ paid and website positioning methods impacted our key phrase rankings.
What I like about Similarweb:
- I favored the software’s user-friendly interface, which made it simple to know visitors conduct and different web site actions.
- It provides an excellent overview of how totally different acquisition approaches are performing, serving to companies make strategic choices about website positioning.
What G2 customers like about Similarweb:
“Similarweb is a good knowledge analytics software that may be tailor-made to your enterprise wants. I like the truth that it’s simple to comply with and that customization might be made with the assistance of their wonderful help staff! The help staff is hands-on. I exploit Similarweb on a weekly foundation, and it’s simple to combine into your general workflow. On high of that, the implementation was additionally actually seamless.”
– Similarweb Overview, Kevin S, Accomplice Supervisor
What I dislike about Similarweb:
I discovered Similarweb’s knowledge accuracy to be inconsistent generally. The estimates offered might not at all times replicate real-time modifications in visitors patterns.
What G2 customers dislike about Similarweb:
“Given my frequency of utilization, I discovered the software a bit costly. Having the chance to pick some choices can be appreciated. Moreover, I typically spot discrepancies between our inside knowledge and knowledge proven by Similarweb, which may result in confusion and doubts about rivals’ knowledge.”
– Similarweb Overview, Thibault D, Chief Advertising Officer
Comparability of one of the best Semrush alternate options
Really feel like you may have an data overload? This comparability desk makes it simpler for you.
Semrush various |
Finest for |
Free model |
Pricing |
Ahrefs |
Finest for off-page website positioning |
Free trial obtainable with restricted entry |
$129/month |
Clearscope |
Finest for optimizing content material for search engines like google |
Not obtainable |
$189/month |
Moz Professional |
Finest for all-purpose website positioning |
Free-trial obtainable |
$49/month |
Seobility |
An all-in-one website positioning software program at an inexpensive price |
Free-trial obtainable |
$50/month |
SE Rating |
Finest for website positioning reporting and analytics |
Free-trial obtainable |
$52/month |
Similarweb |
Finest for evaluating broader website positioning traits in the marketplace |
Free-trial obtainable |
$199/month |
Regularly requested questions on website positioning instruments and Semrush alternate options
1. Is it value paying for Semrush?
Semrush is a complete website positioning suite for firms of all sizes. It could be a bit of expensive for smaller firms. The software program has strong options and performance that cater to extra superior use circumstances and are appropriate for medium-sized firms and enormous enterprises.
2. Is Similarweb higher than Semrush?
Should you’re searching for a broader overview of market traits, Similarweb would possibly higher fit your wants. Nevertheless, once you’re intensely centered on website positioning progress and want insights to know the market, competitors, and progress traits, Semrush is extra appropriate.
3. Which is healthier, Semrush or Ahrefs?
These two instruments are comparable in options and performance. I discovered Ahrefs to be higher than Semrush for off-page website positioning. Nevertheless, Ahrefs has credit score limits; subsequently, in case you closely use website positioning software program, Semrush can be a greater various.
4. Is Semrush one of the best website positioning software?
On the subject of an website positioning software, the time period “greatest” borrows its definition from the use case, firm dimension, and market phase. Due to this fact, primarily based on this issue, Semrush might be one of the best website positioning software for some firms. Nevertheless, this won’t at all times be the case.
5. Is Semrush a US firm?
Sure, Semrush is an American public firm.
Ask the suitable questions
Exploring alternate options opened my eyes to how various and influential the website positioning software market has change into. Relying on what you want, whether or not it is Clearscope’s content material optimization, Ahrefs’ backlink knowledge, or SE Rating’s inexpensive all-in-one strategy, there’s seemingly a greater match on the market on your workflow and finances.
Personally, I’ve ended up mixing and matching instruments primarily based on the duty at hand. For instance, I exploit Clearscope after I’m engaged on content material technique and Ahrefs after I must dive deep into competitor profiles. No software is ideal, however every one presents a recent perspective and a extra tailor-made expertise.
The aim of the article was to present you a glimpse of the software from the within. Use it to encourage your factors of dialogue in demos and walkthroughs. This may enable you to clear up any confusion round your particular use case for website positioning software program.
Searching for extra choices? Try the highly-rated website positioning instruments on G2.